Box-fastener.



No. 693,607. Patented Feb. 18, 1902.

- c. m. JOHNSON.

B 11X FASTENER.

(Application filed Nov. 4, 1801.1

(N0 Model.)

TINTTEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES MANFIELD JOHNSON, OF MILWVAUKEE, \VISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES II. COAKLEY, IVILLIAM F. COAKLEY, AND STEPHEN S. CRAMER, OF MIL' \VAUKEE, IVISCONSIN.

BOX=FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,607, dated February 18, 1902 Application filed November 4. 1901. Serial No. 811021. (No model.)

T aZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES MANFIELD JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

IO My invention has for its object to provide simple economical box-fasteners organized with especial reference to the use of metallic seals; and it consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts here- :5 inafter particularly set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a vertical transverse sectional view of a portion of a box provided with a fastener in accordance with my invention, this view being indicated by lines 1 1 in the second figure; Fig. 2, an elevation of what is shown in the first figure, and Fig. 3 a horizontal section on the plane indicated by line 3 3 in said second figure.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A indicates a sheet metal plate having an upper right-angle flange I), provided with a longitudinal slot 0, and a forward lip cl is shown depending from the flange. Central of the plate the metal is struck outward in a vertical direction to form a gradually-deepened loop 6, the lower deepest portion of this protuberance of the plate being a horizontal shoulder.

Plate A, having the slotted flange and the loop above specified, constitutes the keeper of my improved box-fastener, the latch B of the fastener being a strip of sheet metal bent to form a right angle, its vertical or tongue portion being provided with a longitudinal slotfand an apertured outer lateral ear 9 at a right angle to the slot adjacent thereto, the metal in the car being some of said tongue partly cut away from the same and struck up 4,5 therefrom to provide said slot.

In practice plate A or keeper portion of the fastener is fitted on a wall 0 of a box and made fast thereto by nails or screws driven into the wall through apertures provided in said plate.

A recess provided in the box-wall is closed at to the back by plate A, and the slot 0 in platefiange Z) registers with the recess. The latch portion 13 of the fastener is made fast to the under side of a swing-lid I) for the box in position to have its tongue portion extend through the flange-slot c of plate A when the lid is swung down, the tongue'slotf being then engaged by the outer protuberance of said plate. The box-lid having been automatically latched in its swung-down position, the wire or strap of an ordinary metal sealE may be engaged with the tongue-ear and outer keeper protuberance of the fastener. The lower end of the latch-tongue is bent outward to facilitate grasp of same when said tongue is to be sprung clear of the protuberance of the keeper-plate.

WVhile I have shown the keeper portion of the fastener provided with the forward-depending flange-lip d, that faces the box-wall 0, this lip may be omitted if not found necessary or desirable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A box-fastener comprising a keeper consisting of a plate provided with an outer protuberance and an upper right-angle flange having a longitudinal slot, and a latch consisting of a right-angle strip having its ver- 8c tical or tongue portion provided with a longitudinal slot and an apertured outer lateral ear, the keeper and latch being, respectively attachable to a wall and swing-lid of a box in such relative positions that the tongue of said latch is engageable with the flange-slot and outer protuberance of said keeper, the wire or strap of an ordinary metallic seal being ongageable with the latch-ear and keeper protuberance.

2. A box-fastener comprising a keeper consisting of a plate provided with an outer protuberance and an upper right'angle flange having a longitudinal slot and depending forward lip, and a latch consisting of a right-angle strip having its vertical or tongue portion provided with a longitudinal slot and an apertured ear struck up therefrom adjacent to the slot, the keeper and latch being rcspec- In testimony that I claim the foregoing I tively attachable to a wall and swing-lid of a have hereunto set my hand, at Milwaukee, in IC box in such relative positions that the tongue the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisof said latch is engageable With the flange-slot consin, in the presence of two Witnesses.

and outer protuberance of said keeper, the CHARLES MANFIELD JOHNSON. wire or strap of an ordinary metallic seal be- Witnesses: I ing engageable with the latch-ear and keeper I N. E. OLIPHANT,

protuberance. l i B. O. ROLOFF. 

